The Brain and the Gut

Mechanisms that influence the link between the microbiome and the brain.

Up to 2.75 CME Credits

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Length: This eLecture package is approximately 2.75 hours.

CME Credit type

ACCME Accreditation StatementThe Institute for Functional Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Accreditation Statement
The Institute for Functional Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Description

The link between the microbiome and the brain has been established, but the specific processes by which they affect one another is an area of growing interest.1,2 Disruptions to the microbiome affect the gut-brain axis and influence memory, mood, and cognition.3 Conversely, changes to the brain, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), can affect the microbiome in sometimes startling ways.4

In this package of two lectures, experts discuss interventions to modulate the neurologic and gastrointestinal effects of both cognitive decline and traumatic brain injury. David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM, focuses on the effect the microbiome can have on cognitive decline. Datis Kharrazian, DC, DHSc, MS, MNeuroSci, discusses the impact that traumatic brain injury can have on gut function.

This online learning course provides a practical, clinical basis for successful interventions for patients with cognitive decline and traumatic brain injury. Understanding the relationship between the brain and the microbiome provides new insights into treating patients.

Learning Objectives

Recognize how changes to the microbiome can influence memory, mood, and cognition.

Design microbiota interventions that may help to prevent and treat anxiety, depression, autism, chronic pain, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Recognize how disruption of the gut-brain axis from traumatic brain injury can lead to self-perpetuating inflammatory processes involving both the brain and the gastrointestinal system.

Design interventions to modulate the neurologic and gastrointestinal effects of TBI.

Lectures Included

Lecture

Description

Educator

Applications on the Microbiome-Brain Connection

A growing body of literature has demonstrated the bidirectional signaling between the brain and the gut microbiome. Not only can psychological and physical stressors affect the composition and metabolic activity of the trillions of bacteria hosted by the human digestive tract, but changes to the microbiome can influence memory, mood, and cognition. In fact, it is likely that modification to the gut microbiome plays a role in a variety of disorders, from anxiety, depression, and autism to chronic pain and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. David Perlmutter will discuss various ways to modulate the microbiota that may help to prevent and treat these conditions.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. One commonly overlooked effect of TBI is the disruption of the gut-brain axis leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction. The gut-brain axis has bidirectional communication with the visceral enteric nervous system through afferent and efferent neural connections. Communication with the brain also occurs through messenger signals from the gut's microbiota, involving gut peptides, cytokines, and lipopolysaccharides. Disruption of the gut-brain axis from TBI can lead to a chronic, inflammatory, vicious sequela involving both the brain and the gastrointestinal system, with both neuroregulatory and neuroimmunological loops. Dr. Datis Kharrazian will discuss TBI, its effects on the gut-brain axis, and what we can do to modulate those effects.

Topics:

Additional Information

To earn CME credit, you must complete a post-course survey, as well as achieve 80% or higher on the post-course test within four attempts.

ACCME Accreditation Statement

The Institute for Functional Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

MD/DO: The Institute for Functional Medicine designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 2.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The American Osteopathic Association has approved IFM’s courses for Preventive Medicine certification within the American Osteopathic Board of Preventive Medicine.

Nurse: For the purpose of re-certification with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), contact hours approved through ACCME are accepted. Please contact your state nursing board to inquire if continuing education credits from ACCME-accredited organizations are accepted.

PA: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts all continuing education credits from organizations accredited by the ACCME. Please contact your state physician assistant board to inquire if continuing education credits from ACCME-accredited organizations are accepted.

RD: The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) did not pre-approve this course. Pre-approval is not required for ACCME-accredited courses. CDR automatically accepts continuing education credits obtained from ACCME-accredited organizations. Please check with your state licensing board to inquire if prior approval by CDR is required to obtain continuing education credits for an activity despite this circumstance.